


Say Yes

by complicatedships



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:22:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23366128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/complicatedships/pseuds/complicatedships
Summary: A series of Michelle and Owen’s first fight, first date, first kiss, and first I love you
Relationships: Michelle Blake/Carlos Reyes, Michelle Blake/Owen Strand
Comments: 3
Kudos: 29





	1. Simple as That

Recently, life for Michelle has gotten more manageable but more confusing. She has gotten used to her new ”normal.” Iris is alive, and while she’s not entirely well, she’s back. Michelle goes to see her twice a week, sometimes more. Usually, they don’t leave her tent, her safe place. Sometimes Michelle can get her to venture out a little bit, but they never get far. She’s okay with anything, though, as something is always better than nothing. The more confusing matter is her thing with Owen. They aren’t dating, but they’re not precisely just friends either. He’s at Michelle’s almost as often as he is at his place. They’ve practically kissed a few times, but one of them always pulls away. Sometimes they hold hands, or they lie in each other’s laps. When they hug, they linger a little longer than they should, but that’s as far as their physical intimacy goes. Emotionally, however, they are always looking into each other’s eyes with such passion, such desire. When they talk, they hang onto every word. They share secrets only they could understand. They laugh, and they smile together more than with anyone else. They have a special bond, both of them know it, but they don’t talk about it. Recently, it’s bothered Michelle. Why don’t they talk about it? Why does she only get the emotional side of him, and some other chick gets the physical? It doesn’t make much sense. She wants more with him, and it seems like he wants it too, but he still keeps blondie around.

Michelle makes her way to Owen’s office in hopes that he’ll have this conversation with her. It’s doubtful, but it’s worth a shot. She stops dead in her tracks a few feet from his door. Zoe is in there with him. She has her arms around Owen’s neck, and his arms are around her waist. They are smiling at each other and talking too quiet for Michelle to hear. She couldn’t help but watch them for a moment; he looks so happy. Michelle feels a knot growing in her stomach. She thinks maybe this thing she has with Owen is all in her head. Just as he glances up, Michelle walks away. She starts to wonder if she lacks something Zoe doesn't. What does he see in Zoe that he doesn’t see in her? 

~

Michelle finishes her beer and immediately opens another. She lets out a sigh as she sits in her empty home. She feels a mixture of emotions, anger, hurt, and maybe even a little jealous. But what gives her the right to feel these things? She had drawn this imaginary line between her and Owen, and she wouldn’t let them cross it. She can’t blame him for that, but part of her still does. Part of her wants him to be the one to leap. She hears a knock at her door, and she knows who it is before she answers it. She’s heard the knock a hundred times before. She takes another swig of her beer before opening the door. Owen smiles instantly at the sight of her. Michelle does her best in return but fails immensely. 

“I brought beer,” he says. 

“Perfect.” 

Michelle takes the case from him and makes her way back to her table. She finishes the one in her hand and opens another. Owen examines the four empty bottles on the table, then turns to Michelle. 

“Are you okay?” 

He asks before grabbing one for himself. Michelle stares at him blankly. He hasn’t got a clue. 

“Yes, why?” 

He looks back at the beer, then to Michelle again. 

“That seems like a little much, even for you.” 

It’s probably best she doesn’t mention the ones in the trash already. She takes another sip and clears her throat, 

“Mm... How’s Zoe?” 

She sets her beer down and clasps her hands together on the table. 

“What?” Owen squints his eyes at the question, clearly taken aback. 

“How’s Zoe? Ya’ know, your girlfriend.”

Michelle presses, she’s not sure why she’s doing this, but she has no desire to stop here. 

“She’s not my girlfriend, and she’s fine. Why?” 

Owen’s body grows tense as he starts to get annoyed. 

“Not your girlfriend... Right,” she takes another drink, “so what is she exactly?” 

Owen sighs, 

“Why are you so worried about this all of a sudden?”

Michelle chuckles, “I just want to know.” 

She throws her hands out, wondering what the big deal is. 

“She’s not your girlfriend; you just fuck her whenever you want. Maybe grab dinner first. So, she’s your.. What? _Girl toy_? Just a piece of-“ 

Owen stops her before she can finish, 

“Michelle, stop. You’re drunk,” 

he speaks sternly. He feels anger burning in his stomach at her outburst. This isn’t like her. 

“I’m not drunk; I just want you to answer my question. Why is that so difficult for you?”

She leans back in her chair and watches him, waiting for his response. She can see how upset he’s getting, but that doesn’t stop her. 

“I don’t know. Okay? I don’t know,” 

He sighs, finishing off his beer. Michelle leans forward, resting her chin on her hands. 

“Do you _love_ her?” 

Owen’s eyes widen at the question. 

“No. Why do you care?” 

“So, it’s just sex, then?” She opens another beer, “It must be great!” She snickers, altogether avoiding his question. 

At this point, Owen has had enough. He doesn’t deserve her attitude, as far as he’s concerned, he hasn’t done anything wrong. 

“You know what, it is actually. Better than great,” Owen says, grabbing another beer. 

Michelle’s stomach turns at his response. She definitely deserved that. 

“Why are you here?”

She asks quietly. 

“What?”

“Why are you here and not with her?” 

She gets angrier and angrier that he’s not catching onto her point. 

“My bad for thinking I could come to visit my friend,” he snaps. 

_ Friend _ , Michelle thinks to herself. Is that really the word?

“Do you visit all your friends after midnight?” 

Finally, the realization set in. She can see in his eyes that he knows what she’s talking about. Owen runs his hand through his hair. 

“No.” He whispers. 

“What are you  _ doing _ ? Help me understand. What are  _ we _ doing?” Michelle raises her voice, frustrated. 

“You need to calm down,” 

Owen sits up straight and clenches his jaw. He doesn’t appreciate being interrogated and yelled at. 

“Calm down?” Michelle laughs, 

“I need to  _ calm down _ ? No, you need to tell me what the hell is going on because I’m confused. I’m confused because you don’t visit your friends after midnight, I’m quite sure you don’t try to kiss them, and I can guarantee you don’t hold their hands. You call me your friend, but you treat me as more. Except we’re not anything more because you can’t stay out of some other chick’s pants!” 

Michelle feels her face get hot. She held this in for as long as she possibly could, and now it’s all spilling out. Owen closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He doesn’t want to fight with her, but she’s really getting on his nerves.

“Are you done?” 

He opens his eyes, meeting her gaze. She scoffs,

“Yes.” 

“First of all, you didn’t have to be a bitch about it,” 

Michelle’s jaw drops and she cuts him off before he can finish, 

“Did you seriously just call me a bitch?” 

“ _ Oh my god _ , have you been listening to yourself?” Owen leans forward, 

“I-“ Michelle starts, 

“No. Let me finish. All you had to do was tell me what you wanted. You didn’t have to yell. You definitely could have done without the attitude. And you can’t pin this all on me; you can’t make this all my fault. You’re in this too,” he pauses. 

“I’m not the one sleeping with someone else,” Michelle interrupts and shrugs her shoulders. 

She knows he’s right, in a way, but she can’t admit it. Maybe it’s because she’s gone too far already, or perhaps she actually is drunk. 

“Maybe you should,” Owen says through his teeth, slamming his beer on the table. 

Michelle’s heart sinks. This isn’t what she had in mind when she started this. All she wanted to do was tell him that she’s hurt, and she has been for a long time. Instead, she got nasty with him, and it’s too late to take it back. She didn’t want to push him away, but it seems she already did. 

“Get out,” she whispers. 

She can feel tears welling up in her eyes, and the last thing she should do right now is cry. 

“No. You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to treat me like shit, then make me feel bad when I snap. It’s not fair!” 

Now, Owen is the one raising his voice. 

“Leave.” 

Michelle stands up, and despite the room spinning around her, she makes it to the door. 

“Michelle..” 

Owen gets up from his chair and stares at her from across the room. She can barely hold herself up. He wishes she wouldn’t have done this. 

“ _Go_!” 

Her voice cracks, and the tears start to fall. Owen meets her at the door and pauses for a moment. He wants to wipe her tears away and hug her as tight as he can, but he knows she won’t let him. Owen can see that she’s hurt, but he knows it’s not because of what he said. It’s because of what he didn’t say. What he should’ve said. He won’t say it until she’s sober, and she apologizes. 

“Please,” she whispers, avoiding his look. 

“Okay,” he says, opening the door. 

Even though she’s not looking at him, he gives her a half-smile before leaving. He feels terrible over everything and wants nothing more than for her to feel better. Michelle closes the door and leans against it. She slides down to the floor and covers her mouth, letting out a small sob. How could she have been so stupid? She had messed up, big time. She let her hurt and anger take control  of her, and she doesn’t know how to fix it, or if she even can. He probably wants nothing to do with her now. Maybe this is why he keeps Zoe around. 

“I’m a mess,” Michelle mumbles to herself. 

~

Owen went about his morning, still stunned by the way Michelle blew up on him. He never expected that from her. He hadn’t realized how upset it made her that he was seeing Zoe. Owen checks his phone for the millionth time, hoping she’d call or at least text. He hasn’t seen her at the station, and he’s beginning to worry. He sees Tim carrying some equipment and stops him,

“Hey, Tim, have you seen Captain Blake?” 

He tries to keep his voice low to avoid anyone else overhearing. 

“She’s in her office, but I wouldn’t go in there if I were you,” he chuckles. 

“Dare I ask, why?”

“Brutal hangover,” Tim nods his head and continues walking. 

Owen bites the inside of his cheek and debates on whether or not he should go check on her. He should probably wait until their shift is over, but what if she doesn’t want him to? Maybe she doesn’t want him to at all. There’s only one way to find out. He walks to her office. The lights are off, and Michelle is sitting at her desk with her head down. He watches her for a minute. He knows he should just let her be, but he also knows he’ll regret it later if he doesn’t. Owen gently opens the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. He eases it shut behind him and looks over at her. She doesn’t budge, so he sits across from her. She tilts her head up enough to lock eyes with him comfortably, but she doesn’t say anything. Her skin is much more pale than usual. Her eyes are red, swollen, and lined with dark circles. 

“Can I get you anything?” He asks softly. 

She slowly shakes her head. 

“I can’t even keep water down,” she mumbles wincing. 

Owen nods, “We need to talk.” 

Michelle sighs, “Later?” 

“Okay,” he stands up to leave. 

“Wait,” Michelle reaches out with her hand, “Stay... Please?” 

Owen looks down at Michelle. It pains him to see her like this, but a small part of him wants to leave her here. After all, she did this to herself. Despite this feeling, he sits back down with his arms crossed below his chest. They stay just like that, in silence, until their next call. 

~

After a dreadfully long shift, Michelle went straight home, showered, then soaked in the tub. She feels a little bit better physically. Mentally, she’s exhausted. She doesn’t know what’s going to happen with Owen, and it’s killing her. He sat with her in her office for as long as he could, but neither of them said a word. The silence wasn’t comforting; it was deafening. Michelle had wanted to apologize for her behavior, but her head felt like a ton of bricks every time she lifted it. Her phone dings, and she looks down to see Owen’s name pop up. He texted, asking if he could come over. It feels so weird to see him asking; she had gotten used to him just showing up whenever he felt like it. Michelle runs her fingers through her hair. She thinks about all the worst possible scenarios of him being here. She doesn’t want to fight, and she definitely doesn’t want to lose him. She lets out a shaky breath before saying yes. The next twenty minutes were nerve-wracking as she waited for him to get here. Michelle sat on her couch, bouncing her leg and watching the door. Even though she was expecting it, she still jumps at the sound of his knock. She lets him in with a soft smile. They sit on opposite sides of the couch. 

“You go first,” Owen says, turning toward her. 

Michelle sighs, “I’m sorry...”

She avoids his gaze. 

“For?”

“For yelling at you, blaming you, and for the things I said about Zoe.”

“It’s okay; I know you’re hurting. I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have gotten so angry with you.” 

She looks up at him, 

“You don’t have to be sorry. You had every right to be mad.” 

Owen shakes his head, 

“Okay. So, tell me what you want.” 

“What do you mean?” Michelle furrows her brow, confused. 

“What do you want from me? Do you want me to stop seeing Zoe or keep seeing her, what?” He asks gently. 

Michelle takes in a sharp breath,

“I...” she pauses, shaking her head,

“I don’t want you to do what _I_ want. I want you to do what _you_ want.” 

“Tell me what you’re thinking, and I’ll do what I think is best for both of us,” Owen says, sticking to his word. 

Michelle feels a knot start to grow in her throat.

“I’m scared,” she whispers. 

“Why?” Owen scoots a little closer. 

“I don’t want to lose you,” tears begin to fill her eyes. 

Owen’s heart aches at her revelation. 

“Hey,” he takes her hand, “you won’t.”

Michelle chuckles lightly,

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. I won’t let that happen, no matter what,” Owen squeezes her hand. 

“I, uh,” she wipes a tear from her eye, 

“I want you. _All_ of you, but I don’t want to be a homewrecker.” 

Michelle’s heart begins to race. There’s no turning back after this. 

“Done,” Owen whispers, “and shes not my home; you are.” 

Michelle freezes; she hadn’t expected that. She doesn’t know what to say. They stare at each other for a minute before Michelle finally finds her voice,

“So, that’s it?” She asks quietly. 

“That’s it.” 

Owen pulls her into his lap and holds her tightly. He closes his eyes in relief; this feels right. 


	2. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michelle rescues a cat, expecting Carlos to help take care of it. Owen takes Michelle on an expensive first date. It goes surprisingly well, aside from two things.

After a long shift and volunteering for Sanctuary Hearts, Michelle is lying on her couch with the cat she rescued, and Carlos is sitting by her feet. 

“I can’t believe I yelled at him like that,” 

Michelle sighs, referring to her fight with Owen. 

“I can’t believe you brought a cat home,” 

Carlos says, staring at her in disbelief. 

“His name is Mr. Piddles, and he needed a place to live, but that’s not important right now.” 

She says, stroking the cat lying on her chest. 

“I  _ can _ believe you got a little crazy with Owen,” Carlos mumbles. 

“What?” Michelle lifts her head to look at him. 

“I mean, you can be a little... Aggressive sometimes,” he smiles. 

Michelle scoffs, “I am not aggressive.” 

“It’s not a bad thing. I just wouldn’t want to piss you off. You’re not one to stay quiet when you’re upset,” Carlos laughs. 

“Whatever,” Michelle rolls her eyes. 

She kisses the top of her cat’s head, 

“I’m not aggressive, Mr. Piddles, don’t listen to him,” she says in a baby voice. 

“How do you know that cat-“ 

“Mr. Piddles,” Michelle interjects.

“ _ Mr. Piddles  _ doesn’t belong to someone?” Carlos asks, still watching them. 

“He was dirty, and he looked hungry. He followed me to my car; I couldn’t just leave him there,” Michelle shakes her head, smiling. 

“Who’s gonna feed him when you have to work all day?” 

“Uh, that’s what you are for,” Michelle smirks. 

“What? Don’t you think you should’ve asked first?” Carlos laughs. 

“Well, you’ll do it, won’t you?” 

“I don’t have a choice now.” 

“See..“ She pauses for a moment, “Do you think he _actually_ likes me?” Michelle wonders aloud. 

“The- Mr. Piddles?” Carlos asks, correcting himself before Michelle could. 

“No, Owen. Come on, Carlos, focus,” she twists her lips, biting the inside of her cheek. 

Michelle thinks about that often. She feels as if she pressured him into leaving Zoe.

“Well, you’re dating, aren’t you?” 

“I think so.” 

“You  _ think _ so?” Carlos cocks his head to the side in confusion. 

“We still haven’t kissed. It’s been over a week since we fought. We’re supposed to go on a date when he gets off tonight, so there’s that.” 

“Okay, so you are dating, sort of,” Carlos tries to assure her. 

“I guess, maybe,” Michelle shrugs her shoulders. 

“I don’t think you should be worried about him liking you,” he smirks. 

“Why?” 

“Because every time you’re in the same room, everyone can feel the sexual tension. You could literally cut it with a knife; it’s so obvious,” Carlos chuckles. 

“Shut up, that’s not true,” she smiles, knowing it definitely is. 

Michelle’s phone chimes with a text from Owen, 

“ _Hey babe_. ”

Michelle squeals and kicks Carlos in excitement,

“He called me  _ babe _ !” She blushes, staring at the text. 

“I have never heard that sound come out of your mouth before, and I’m not sure I want to again. Also, ow,” Carlos laughs, rubbing his leg. 

Michelle’s phone chimes again, 

“ _ I’ll be there in 15 :) _ ”

Michelle jumps up, scaring away Mr. Piddles. 

“Shit!” She yells. 

“What?” Carlos asks, surprised by her sudden outburst. 

“I didn’t expect Owen to be off on time, and now he’s on his way, and I’m not ready,” Michelle says, frantically trying to find her footing. 

“You look fine, what is there to do?” 

“Ew, I don’t want to look  _fine_.  I want to look great. Plus, there’s a dress code,” She says, rushing toward her bedroom. 

“A dress code? Where the hell are you going?” Carlos shouts from the living room. 

“I don’t remember the name, just that it’s like an hour away,” 

Michelle calls out, holding up two different dresses in her mirror. She groans and darts back into the living room, 

“Which one?” She asks. 

“That one,” he points to the one on the left. 

It’s fitted, black, not too short, but short enough, and it has one spaghetti strap sleeve. 

“Mmm... Are you sure it’s not too much?” 

Michelle studies the dress reluctantly. 

“Screw it. I don’t have time”. 

She runs back into her room and slips on the dress; then runs to the bathroom to freshen up. She applies a minimal amount of makeup and unwinds her hair from its bun. She smells three different perfumes before spraying one. She puts on a pair of heels and struts back into the living room, straightening out her dress. 

“You look hot,” Carlos says, standing up to leave. 

“Thanks,” Michelle lets out a deep breath and laughs. 

She gives him a quick hug before seeing him out. A few minutes later, Owen knocks on the door. 

“Hey,” Michelle smiles. 

“Wow, hello.” 

Owen smirks, pulling her into a hug.

“You are stunning,” he says, taking in her appearance again. 

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself,” Michelle winks. 

Owen looks over her shoulder, raising his eyebrows,

“Is that a cat?” 

“Yes,” Michelle laughs, ”his name is Mr. Piddles.” 

“When did that happen?” He chuckles. 

He bends down and holds out his hand. The cat smells Owen, hisses, then runs away. 

“Today. He must not like you,” 

Michelle grins.

“Apparently not, come on, we gotta hit the road,” Owen says, taking Michelle’s hand. 

~ 

The hour-long car ride practically flew by as they sang along to almost every song on the radio and laughed at how off-key they were. Owen circled the parking lot three times before finding a spot. 

“Good thing we have a reservation,” 

Owen smiles, switching off the ignition. 

He steps out of the car and opens Michelle’s door. He takes her hand and helps her out. Michelle can tell by looking at the restaurant, she could never afford something like this. Owen offers her his arm, 

“Shall we?” he asks. 

“I didn’t peg you to be the romantic type,” Michelle smirks, taking it. 

“Is it too much?” 

Owen shoots her a worried glance. He doesn’t want to overwhelm her. He thought this is the least she deserves. 

“No, not at all. It’s nice,” 

butterflies fill Michelle’s stomach. Owen has always treated her well, but this is a different side of him. A side she is dying to see more of. Michelle’s jaw drops as they enter the restaurant. It’s even fancier on the inside. The lights are low and aureate, setting an intimate mood. The only noises are the hushed conversations between couples and families. The waiters and waitresses are wearing formal suits. The host greets them instantly, 

“Hello, welcome White Oaks. May I have a name, please?” 

“Hi. Two for Owen Strand.” 

They make their way toward the back of the restaurant. Michelle quickly begins to feel out of place, as casual settings are more in her element. Their table is already set, along with a bottle of wine. Owen pulls out her chair before sitting across from her. Michelle’s eyes widen as she reads the label on the bottle, “ _Ruppert Carbernet_.” In other words, one hundred dollars worth of wine. Owen reaches over and places his hand on Michelle’s, 

“Relax,” he says softly. 

“I am,” she smiles, “I’m just wondering, why this place?” 

“Have you ever been to a place like this?” Owen asks, opening his menu. 

“No,” she chuckles. 

“That’s why.” 

“Have you?” Michelle opens her menu. 

“No, but we deserve it, a proper date, don’t we?” 

“I suppose so..” 

Michelle’s voice trails off as she scans the prices, nothing under twenty dollars. She knew then, Owen will not be the one paying. She couldn’t let him spend this much money on her. Michelle closes her menu, deciding on the cheapest thing she could find. She looks up at Owen, still flipping through his. Watching him from across the table, melts her heart. She can’t fathom how she got so lucky. Michelle didn’t intend to fall for the captain, but she fell hard and fast. In the beginning, she loved to tease him, mostly because he played along. She slowly started to crave him. She craved his presence, the sound of his voice, his laugh, his smile, and his touch. 

Owen looks up, locking eyes with Michelle,

“Did you find something you like?” 

Michelle’s stomach flutters, those gleaming blue eyes are going to be the death of her. She gently bites her bottom lip, 

“ _Yes_.” 

A smile crept onto Owen’s face,

“Good.” 

~

About halfway through their meal, Michelle excuses herself from the table to find their waiter. She knows to be as discreet as possible because Owen would freak out if he knew what she was up to. Once out of his line of sight, she flags down the waiter. 

“Excuse me, sorry, may I take care of the check, please?” Michelle asks. 

“Absolutely,” he opens his checkbook, “would you like to know your total?” 

“No, that’s okay, here you go,” 

she hands over her card and leans against the wall. Michelle knows she shouldn’t spend the money, but she has to do this. Michelle observes the room around her. She hadn’t expected this date to go so smoothly. Her luck isn’t exactly the best, and neither is Owen’s. 

“All set,” the waiter returns with a smile. 

Michelle signs the credit card slip, leaving a twenty-five percent tip. 

“Thank you,” she smiles, then finds her way back to her seat. 

“Everything okay?” Owen asks, his eyes wandering as Michelle sits. 

“All good. I think I'm finished. What about you?” 

“No dessert?” 

“Maybe later,” Michelle winks. 

“Oh,  _ really _ ? No take-backs,” Owen grins. 

Michelle lets him grab the waiter’s attention, unsure how to tell him she already paid. She tightly clasps her hands together in her lap, growing tense. He won’t get mad, she knows that, but it might upset him. 

“Anything else I can get for you folks today?” 

“Just the check,” Owen says, smiling softly. 

“It’s been taken care of,” 

the waiter says, nodding at Michelle, before walking away. 

Owen freezes for a minute before returning his gaze to Michelle. She hesitantly looks up at him. 

“Sorry?” 

She shrugs her shoulders with an uneasy smile. 

“You paid?” 

Owen chokes out the words, his eyes widening. 

“Yeah,” Michelle slowly nods her head. 

“Why?” His voice is stern, almost cold. 

“I just,” she sighs, running her hand through her hair, “I may have gotten a little freaked out about the prices. So, it made me feel better to pay for it instead.”

Michelle feels her stomach twist and her heart race. Owen closes his eyes and chuckles lightly, 

“It’s okay this time, but never again. Deal?” 

He stands up and meets her at the other end of the table. 

“I don’t know about never, but we’ll see,” Michelle stands, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. 

~

The car ride home was quiet, aside from the radio on low volume. Michelle wonders if she has messed up yet again. Maybe she should’ve let him pay, but she would still feel just as guilty as she does right now. They exit the car and stop in front of Michelle’s door. She pulls him into a hug with her arms around his neck. 

“You’re not mad?” She asks, pulling back her head back to look at Owen. 

“Of course I’m not mad,” he says in a hushed voice. 

He slides his hands from her back down to her waist. Michelle feels goosebumps ride up her arms, and the hairs on the back of her neck stick up. She wants to kiss him more than ever right now. Her whole body wants to fall into his. 

“I should get going,” Owen sighs, gently swaying back and forth. 

“Or...” Michelle whispers, her voice trailing off.

She runs her fingers through Owen’s hair and rests her hand on the back of his head. 

“Or?” Owen smiles. 

“You could stay,” 

Michelle says, letting her eyes travel down to his lips. 

“I’d love to,” Owen tilts Michelle’s head up by her chin. He runs his thumb across her cheekbone, cupping her face. 

“But, I have an early shift.” 

“ _ So _ ?” 

Michelle doesn’t want to beg him to stay, but she’s not ready for him to leave. More than anything, she wants a kiss. Owen groans softly,

“It’s tempting.” 

Michelle shakes her head, dropping her hands to his chest. 

“Then  _ stay _ ,” she whines, trying one more time to convince him. 

“Tomorrow?” Owen smiles, smoothing out Michelle’s hair. 

“Fine,” she sighs. 

Michelle starts to get antsy, wishing Owen would just take a hint and kiss her already. She could make the first move, but she feels as if she’s been bold enough for the night. Owen pulls her back into a hug. Michelle lays her head in the crevice of his neck and closes her eyes. She would stay like this forever if she could. 

“Goodnight,” 

Owen whispers, pulling away. 

“Goodnight, Captain,” 

Michelle says quietly, letting her hands linger on his arms until he walks away. Her whole being is still yearning for that kiss. Her heart sinks, realizing she should’ve made the move. The thought of having to wait even longer is going to drive her insane.


	3. Kiss Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Owen challenges Michelle to a game of UNO and one thing leads to another.

Michelle laid awake most of the night, thinking about Owen. Kissing him, to be exact. She’s fully aware she has been overthinking the whole thing, but she can’t help it. They’ve  _ almost _ kissed countless times, so Michelle knows he wouldn’t mind  _ actually _ doing it. It’s possible he’s waiting for the right moment, but does the timing matter if it’s the right person? Even so, after their near-perfect date would’ve been it. Michelle has dated plenty of people, granted it had been a while since the last, but she doesn’t recall getting this worked up over any of them. Michelle rolls over in her bed, groaning at the sunlight peeking through the curtains. She grabs her phone to check the time; it’s 6:00 AM. Despite it being her first day off in over a month, Michelle decides against going back to sleep. She’s too antsy to lie in bed any longer. Besides, the sooner she gets ready, the sooner Owen will be able to come over. As rare as it is, they managed to land the same day off. Before climbing out of bed, Michelle sends Owen a text,

“ _ Morning (: _ ”

She opens her door to find Mr. Piddles patiently waiting on the other side, and a smile spreads across her face. 

“Well, good morning handsome,” 

Michelle reaches down, scratching behind his ears.

“At least you give me kisses,” she sighs, heading to the bathroom to freshen up. 

~ 

After what felt like hours, Michelle was letting Owen into her house. His skin is pale, and his eyes look tired, but he smiles brightly. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Michelle asks, leading him to the couch. 

“Better now,” Owen winks. “You were up early this morning, what’s that about?” 

“I couldn’t sleep,” 

Michelle’s voice trails off as she looks away from his eyes. 

Owen raises an eyebrow at her, concerned. 

“First day off in how long, and you couldn’t sleep? Something keeping you up?” 

He places his hand over hers. 

“Not particularly,” Michelle mumbles and quickly changes the subject. 

“So, TK tells me you have a new found love for  _ UNO_?” She chuckles. 

“You talk to TK?” Owen asks, puzzled. 

“Sometimes, usually when he’s with Carlos. Is it true though?” 

“Yes! You’ve played, haven’t you? It’s very competitive,” Owen exclaims. 

“Never lost a game,” Michelle smirks, tilting her head. 

“You’re lying. Everyone loses at least once,” Owen crosses his arms over his chest. 

“I haven’t. Should I have picked up some cards? You seem to be more invested than I thought,” she teases. 

“No need, I’ve got it with me,” 

Owen reaches into his jacket pocket, pulling out the card game. Michelle’s jaw drops, and she can’t help but laugh. 

“You’re kidding! You carry it around with you?!” 

“You never know when you might need it,” he flashes a cheesy smile, “Lets play.”

Michelle rolls her eyes and scoots onto the floor, 

“You’re such a dork,” she chuckles. 

“You chose me,” Owen says, sitting across from her. 

“No regrets,” Michelle says softly. 

Owen’s goofiness is one of Michelle’s favorite things about him. There’s never a dull moment between the two of them. 

Owen deals out the cards and puts on his poker face. Less than five minutes later, Michelle bites back laughter before saying, 

“Uno.” 

Owen’s eyes grow wide, 

“ _What_?! No way.” 

Michelle lays down her last card, chuckling. 

“That was just luck,” Owen gathers the cards into a pile, shaking his head. 

“I’ve got this round.” 

“Whatever you say, Owen,” Michelle smiles. 

Owen places the cards in a neat stack in front of her.

“Your deal, beautiful.” 

Michelle feels her cheeks go red and attempts to hide her face as she shuffles the cards. 

“You’re blushing,” he whispers. 

“No, I’m not,” Michelle says, pursing her lips and shaking her head. 

“It’s cute.”

“ Stop! ” 

She drags out the word, swaying her shoulders in an attempt to rid the butterflies in her stomach. 

“Stop what?” 

Owen asks, now focusing on the game. 

“Calling me that.” 

“But, it’s my job now,” he grins. 

It was unclear whether or not Owen was smiling at Michelle or the fact that he has two cards left, and she has three. 

“Ha!  Uno,” Owen holds up his last card. 

“Draw four,” Michelle lays down the card and places a blue one on top, “Uno,” she says blankly. 

“That’s not fair,” Owen pouts, “you could’ve let me win.” 

“That’s not how this works,” Michelle laughs. 

Owen looks from his cards to the ones on the floor, then to Michelle’s last one. 

“Are you ticklish?” He asks. 

“Huh?” 

Before Michelle could react, Owen reaches over the game and grabs her waist, dropping his cards. 

“ Don’t ,” 

she says, with a cold stare. 

“I can’t lose if we don’t finish the game,” he smirks as he begins tickling her sides and abdomen.

Michelle tries her best to shrink away and hold him off, but he’s much stronger than her. 

“Get off!” She chokes out through laughter. 

“Nope,” Owen laughs with her. 

“Owen!” 

Michelle whines and falls onto her back, struggling to push his arms away. Owen loses his balance as he leans forward, his face landing inches away from hers. They lie there like that, locking eyes, breathless and hearts racing. Owen glances down at her lips, his mind urging him to kiss her. However, he’s hesitant as he recalls blowing the first chance he had, after their date. 

“Do it,”

Michelle whispers, her whole body burning with passion. 

Owen’s eyes snap up at the realization that she caught him staring, but he was okay with it. 

“What?” 

He asks, wanting to hear her say the words they’ve both been thinking for so long. 

“Kiss me,” 

Michelle says with a slight tremble in her voice. She has gone over this exact moment a million times in her head, yet she is still nervous. Without another word, Owen leans in and gently presses his lips against hers, causing all of Michelle’s thoughts to fade away. After a few seconds, he pulls away just long enough to smile before kissing her again, this time with a little more force. Owen lets his hand travel up to her cheek, lacing his fingers in her hair. Michelle runs her hands up his back to his shoulder blades, pulling him closer. Her body relaxes at the warmth of his skin, the smell of his cologne, and the taste of his lips. Not only is she relieved to be kissing him right now, but after this, she can do it whenever she wants. However, there’s one thing she’s still stuck on. 

“Question,”

Michelle says between kisses. 

“ _Hmm_?” 

Owen mumbles, wishing she would save the questions for later. 

“Why didn’t you do this sooner?” Michelle smirks, pressing her forehead against his. 

“Um,” Owen chuckles, “I chickened out.”

“You _chickened out_?” 

Michelle feels terrible for laughing, but Owen doesn’t seem like the type of guy to be scared to kiss someone. 

“You can sometimes be intimidating, especially in heels,” 

he says, moving a stray piece of her hair into place. 

“Oh, really?”

Michelle raises an eyebrow at him. She slowly takes her hand to the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair. 

“ _Mhm_ ,” 

Owen diverts his attention back to Michelle’s mouth as she pulls his head down, their lips crashing once again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Creds to @/Marvel-babie on Tumblr for the UNO prompt (sorry it took forever) and thank you @/little-loser-x for the “you’re beautiful” one liner!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always welcome!


End file.
